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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28279935">A Sevenmas Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whosdaboss4/pseuds/Whosdaboss4'>Whosdaboss4</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arya Stark Returns, F/M, Family Fluff, Foul Language, Inspired By - A Christmas Story (1983), Its Game of Thrones so there’s a few dark themes, Kid Fic, POV Original Character, Parentheses abound, This Is STUPID, Written quickly, barely edited, happy holidays, not beta’d, this is silly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:40:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28279935</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whosdaboss4/pseuds/Whosdaboss4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Queen of Westeros recalls the Sevenmas holiday she received her family’s ancestral Valyrian sword.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sevenmas &amp; Other Winter Holidays</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Sevenmas Story</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is silly.  The parentheses reflect Joanna’s asides as she tells her story.  </p><p>Happy Holidays Everyone!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I am Ser Joanna Lannister Targaryen of Tarth.  Currently, I am Queen of the Six Kingdoms of Westeros.  I’m not a queen by birth as you can probably tell by the “Targaryen” in my insufferably long name. (You should hear all my good mother’s titles.   You might want to pack a lunch, it will take a while.)  I'm the wife of the King, Ser Eddard Stark Targaryen.  My Eddie.</p><p>Eddie never thought he’d be King at the age of 19, thereby making me Queen at 20.  His parents, Queen Daenerys and King Jon both had a rough go of it growing up.  Once Eddie reached 19, his parents decided to step down and “enjoy their bloody lives for once” (my good father’s words).  They spend most of their time either here in the capital, or on Dragonstone or in the Northern Kingdom (how Aunt Queen Sansa pulled that one off is the stuff of legends, but that is a tale for another time).</p><p>Two years later, we are listening to the last few petitioners before the Sevenmas holy days.  The whole family (with Kingsguard, etc) will be traveling to my home island of Tarth.  And I’m to give birth to my first babe in a few short sennights.  I want my Mumma with me when that happens.</p><p>One of the smallfolk’s children is staring agape at Eddie and I.  Back and forth as if watching a joust.  Then I realize she’s comparing me and Eddie’s height difference.  I am a half head taller than my husband.  I forget that most of the time.  Eddie is big where it counts, his heart and his co…This tale is for all ages - even the young girl staring at me and my husband in amazement.  So I’ll not go down that path. </p><p>Brightroar is in my hand (as it always is during court - you never know what can happen in court).  Eddie’s Longclaw in its scabbard on his hip.  As my pregnancy progresses, it has been hard for me to rise from sitting (this child will be huge).  I refuse to use an assistant or a cane.  I use Brightroar instead.  (My other swords aren’t as sturdy and I’m a large woman).  Each time I do, I can hear generations of Lannisters sneering and swearing at me.  Fuck them all.  It’s my sword now.</p><p>My father found Brightroar in Pentos (Pentos of all places) while recovering from his injuries after the Red Keep fell on him and my evil Aunt Queen Cersei.  Uncle Tyrion calls my father the luckiest bastard in all the world. My father and my idol, Sandor Clegane were two of the few people pulled alive from the Red Keep.  (Sandor lives by his own rules, refuses to be knighted although he’d been a Kingsguard, killed his undead brother, survived the collapse with barely a scrape and then married the Northern Queen.  Legendary!) But Sandor didn’t also find his family’s ancestral sword while recovering from a keep collapse.  Papa is also married to the love of his life, my Mumma.  Papa is lucky indeed.</p><p>Sandor helped birth me.  Papa was still in hiding (My good mother still laughs at that.  She knew Papa was in Pentos.  She knew her father, Mad King Aerys, needed to be killed.  She knew of Papa’s attempt to capture evil Queen Cersei; but Queen Daenerys had a time limit, so the Keep had to go).  Mumma was in denial about me.  So Mumma worked on rebuilding the Keep until she could deny me no longer.  There were few maesters in the Capital, so it was Uncle Ser Pod, Sandor and of course, Mumma bringing me into the world.  Uncle Ser Pod fainted a lot during, so it was mostly Sandor and Mumma.</p><p>I’ll see them all soon.  And unlike Mumma, I know I’ll meet my little one soon too.  Everyone tells me how painful childbirth is.  I’m used to pain.  But this tale isn’t about the birth of my first babe or my birth or the birth of my two siblings.   This is a tale about the Sevenmas holiday when I received Brightroar.</p><p>I was a beautiful maiden.  I was called the Light of the East as I was a doppelgänger of my dead aunt, evil Queen Cersei Lannister.  No, was it Greyjoy?  Wait, was it Baratheon?  Sometimes, I daydreamed during my lessons. And everyone was glad my aunt was dead, so I tended to zone out during my lessons about her.</p><p>At any rate, I looked like my dead aunt which proved problematic as I found out my dead aunt and my father had a disgustingly complicated relationship.  In short, people thought I was my father’s daughter AND niece.  Again, this is a family tale; so I definitely won’t talk about that.</p><p>As I grew older, my Mumma’s traits started to show.  My golden curls developed flaxen highlights.  I’d get freckles across my face in the warm Tarth sun.  I grew tall and broad.  I could knock all the boys (and girls) into the dust. And I took as much as I gave, as my twice broken nose can attest.  I may resemble evil Queen Cersei, but I am Ser Brienne Lannister of Tarth’s daughter.</p><p>********************</p><p>During the Sevenmas holiday when I was 13, is when I got to wield Brightroar.  But if I had not been persistent (Papa says I get my persistence from Mumma), I’d never have gotten it.</p><p>The day before the start of the festivities, our Father asked all of us what we wanted for Sevenmas.  Mumma said the same thing she said every year, we were her gift.  They kissed.  My baby brother Art, who was 9, wanted a book about the Long Night.  Eleven year old Galladon wanted a new morningstar.  Papa said he already had 2.</p><p>Galladon is a dwarf, like my Uncle Tyrion.  But that’s where the similarities end.  Well, Gally is smart as a whip too; but he is a fierce fighter.   A natural.  Mumma and Papa insisted we all learned to defend ourselves.  Gally especially.  Art hates it, but he’s proficient at least.  But I’m the best fighter amongst my siblings.  So what did I ask for?</p><p>“Papa, I want to wield Brightroar?”, I asked.  Gally snorted.  I scowled at him. (I have my Mumma’s scowl).  </p><p>My father grimaced.  “Brightroar?”</p><p>“Yes, Papa.  Brightroar”, I confirmed.</p><p>He shook his head and said, “You’ll cut your arm off, sweetling.”  Gally and Art snickered.</p><p>“But Papa…” I started.  Mumma scowled at me and my brothers and we shut up.</p><p>********************</p><p>After we had broken our fasts, we headed to the docks.  Aunt Queen Sansa, her husband and my idol, Sandor Clegane were to arrive.  I was so excited.  Mumma and Papa rode their steeds ahead of the carriage my siblings and I rode in.  </p><p>A few miles away from Evenfall, one of the wheels of the carriage fell off of the axle.  I was livid.  We’d be late to pick up Aunt Queen Sansa and Sandor.  We ended up not going at all.  Art ran back to the Keep to have Uncle Ser Pod dispatch a carriage to pick up the Northerners.  Meanwhile me, Gally and my parents stayed with the bloody broken carriage.  </p><p>But I didn’t know this at the time.  I thought Art was going to have another carriage sent to us and we’d be on our own way.</p><p>“Let’s head back, Lannisters”, Papa said.  “Gally, ride with Mumma.  Jo, ride with me.”</p><p>“But Papa, we need to wait for the other carriage”, I said. “Or...or we can put the wheel back on.  Me, you and Mumma are strong enough”</p><p>Galladon lifted his head and said, “And me, too.  I’m strong enough.”  </p><p>Mumma lips thinned. “Sorry, children.  Pod will have to go to the docks.  We’ll wait for our visitors at the Keep.”</p><p>I was never a patient person.  All I could think was, my plans were being altered.</p><p>So, instead of agreeing with my parents, I cursed.  “Oh, fu….”.  Papa and Mumma’s eyes were huge.  Gally snickered.</p><p>Needless to say, I spent the rest of the day in my chambers.  I could hear the revelry and music coming from the hall.  I could smell the wonderful meats and seafood and sweets.  Mumma imported cocoa powder from the Summer Isles, so there would be hot cocoa drink with cinnamon and cocoa cakes.  And I was missing it.  I was missing Sandor and Aunt Queen Sansa and even their annoying daughters, Arya and Catelyn.</p><p>I fell asleep, I was so upset.  I was awakened by a shake on my shoulders.  It was Mumma.  She brought a plate of food with everything including cocoa cake.  She sat on my bed and watched me eat in silence.  When I finished, she spoke.</p><p>“Sweetling, you are growing up.  You have to monitor your words and your decorum.  Your brothers look up to you.  And...you’re a lady…” Mumma said.</p><p>“I’m no lady, Mumma…” I said.  Mumma smiled sadly and interrupted me.</p><p>“I understand how you feel, but someday you will become the Evenstar (I became the Queen.  Wonders never cease). You can’t do whatever you want whenever you want.  You have to put the people’s needs before your own.   Also, you can’t curse when things don’t go your way”, then Mumma smirked, “I always have to remind your father.”</p><p>My mind recalled all of the various colorful expressions my Papa used: Crone’s tits, Fuck me sideways and (my personal favorite) tighter than a Septa’s cunt.</p><p>Then my mother gave me a conspiratorial grin.  Her beautiful blue eyes twinkled (I was the only one of her children that didn’t get her eyes) and she said, “And the Queen and King are coming.  They are bringing their children.  You’ll get to see Eddard.  I know you want to see him.”</p><p>I groaned.  Eddie and I called ourselves betrothed at ages 5 and 6.  Ever since then, our families thought we were having some torrid, yet secret childhood love affair.  We were barely out of nappies, yet we were being pushed together.  </p><p>“Mumma, we are both swordswomen.  So you must understand that what I really want is Brightroar.”</p><p>Mumma sighed, then narrowed her eyes at me for a moment.  I thought that surely Mumma would understand.  Then she shook her head.  “You’re not ready.  You’ll cut your arm off, sweetling.”</p><p>FUCK, foiled again, I thought.</p><p>********************</p><p>The next morning, I rushed through breaking my fast and ran to the yard.  Sandor was there with Aunt Queen Sansa.  She had one arm around Sandor's waist and the other hand on Sandor’s chest.  One of Sandor's huge arms was wrapped around Aunt Queen Sansa’s waist.  He leaned and whispered in his wife’s ear.  Aunt Queen Sansa’s laugh rang out.  I grumbled at the sight.  (In retrospect, I realize I had a slight crush on the Hound.  Wow, that is illuminating.)</p><p>I marched toward them, curtsied and apologized for my absence the previous day.</p><p>Aunt Queen Sansa smirked, “Oh, my dear, that is quite alright.  Brienne told us you were a bit overwhelmed in wanting to meet us at the docks.”</p><p>Sandor smiled (actually smiled).  “You are just like your cu...your father.  Impatient.  Slow yourself down, girl.”  I hung onto every word and nodded enthusiastically. (Now, I don’t know what in the Hells he meant.  Just bullshite adults tell children.)</p><p>Aunt Queen Sansa appraised me closely.  “You are such a lovely girl.  Thankfully, you also have your mother’s lovely ways.”  (Me, Joanna Lannister of Tarth? I guess.). But I said “thank you, Aunt Queen Sansa.”</p><p>Arya and Catelyn Clegane were sparring with each other.  They were 9 and 6, so they were using wooden swords.  Arya looked ready for blunted steel.  I was about to offer to spar, but Aunt Queen Sansa asked what was getting for Sevenmas. </p><p> I was always a positive thinker, so I told her what I hoped I’d get.  “Brightroar.”</p><p>Sandor’s eyes almost popped out of his head.  “Your family’s Valyrian sword?” he asked in disbelief.</p><p>I nodded proudly.  Sandor guffawed and exclaimed to the whole yard, “You’ll cut your arm off, girl!”</p><p>I was dejected.  Suddenly, it was if the whole yard; no, the whole Keep was laughing at me.</p><p>The annoying Clegane girls: “You’ll cut your arm off!”<br/>
The Northern Queensguard: “You’ll cut your arm off!”<br/>
The Tarth guards: “You’ll cut your arm off!”<br/>
The servants and chambermaids: “You’ll cut your arm off!”</p><p>I wanted to run away, but Art flying into the yard screaming made me pause.  “Jo, come and help me.  They’re hurting Gally!”</p><p>My baby brother ran and I followed on his heels.  I distantly heard Sandor’s gravelly roar as he followed.  Art led me to the road that led to the village.  A group of bullies had surrounded Gally.  My brother was small, but he was a fighter.  I recognized one of the boys as one Gally had whooped fair and square.  It looked like the boy had gotten his friends to jump on Gally.  These boys always bothered the children who were different or quiet.  I was tired of it.  </p><p>I jumped in without hesitation.  (You’re probably thinking this is one of the times I’d gotten my nose broken.  You’d be wrong.  Both times happened when Eddie and I travelled through Westeros for a year as anonymous hedge knights.  This was after we married.  It still astonishes me that our parents allowed it.   Queen Daenerys was mostly against it; but King Jon, Mumma and Papa thought we needed to know our kingdoms and its people.  They also thought after a year of cold, hunger and want; we’d be more than happy to return to the comforts of the Red Keep and to our duty.  They were absolutely right.  We called ourselves Robb and Joy Snow.  Oh, it was a good time, but I am getting off topic). </p><p>Anyway, I jumped without hesitation and the main coward called me a stupid cunt. He called Gally, an abomination and Art, a little tulip.  All I saw was red.  The next thing I remember was I was cursing like a sailor while I punched that coward until HIS nose was broken.  Suddenly, I felt my mother’s hands on my shoulder.</p><p>“Jo!  Jo, sweetling!  Stop it!”, Mumma screamed.  So I did.  The coward’s mother came rushing up the road screaming at him. Telling him he hit a lady, the Evenstar’s granddaughter.</p><p>Mumma told the woman she would come talk to her with her later.  The woman quickly curtsied and drug the coward back toward the village, cursing at him.  Served him right.</p><p>I was shaking like a leaf and Mumma wrapped her arms around me. She checked me over for injuries.  Then I feared really being in trouble, so I started crying (I was 13, but getting in trouble from Mumma was terrible).  I couldn’t stop.  I mumbled between sobs what happened and why I was fighting.</p><p>“Jo, sweetling!  Calm down!” Mumma cooed.  Then, “Sandor, would you please take Jo back to the keep?”  Sandor scooped me up like I was light as a feather.  Aunt Queen Sansa was at his side cooing calming words to me.  Then I heard Papa’s roar and Uncle Tyrion’s drawl coming from a different direction.  Papa must have met Uncle Tyrion’s arrival at the docks.  </p><p>Uncle Tyrion had served as Hand for a few years into Queen Daenerys and King Jon’s reign.  Then he retired to Casterly Rock as Lord.  </p><p>“What in the fuck happened?  Why is my Jo crying?”  Papa shouted.</p><p>“Jaime, she got into a fight.  She’s upset.  One of the village boys…” Mumma started to explain.</p><p>“BOY!  Which boy?”  Papa roared again.  Next thing I knew, Papa had pulled me out of Sandor’s arms and cradled me like I was a babe.  He whispered soothingly, but his eyes were hard and sharp, checking to see if my clothes were torn in certain places, “Did any of those fuckers touch you?”  I knew what he really meant.  My teats had started to grow.  Papa and Mumma sat me down, then told me about the shit world and how it can treat women.</p><p>I started to calm.  “No Papa.  They were bullying Gally.  They always bully kids.  I put an end to it.  You should see the boy.”</p><p>Then my Papa’s beautiful face brightened like the sun peeking through clouds after a rain.  (My, that was poetic.  I am a Stormlander, aren’t I?  I’ll keep the storm references to a minimum.  It drives Eddie bonkers).  He threw his head back and laughed, “That’s my girl, Lady One Two Punch!”</p><p>Mumma moved next to Papa with a smirk.  “No Jaime, it was more like a barrage of fists.  She’d do well in a melee.”  Papa chuckled and leaned up to Mumma, kissing her on the lips.  </p><p>“Ewww!” I said and jumped out of my father’s arms (No kid wants to see their parents kissing up close and personal.  I will try to remember that for my little one).  My parents chuckled harder. </p><p>Papa turned to Mumma.  “Still, the boy should be punished.  A group of bullies can turn into a group of rapers, if that behavior isn’t redirected.  Maybe the young leader of those hooligans can benefit from some squiring”, Papa said.  Mumma nodded.  </p><p>I turned to see Uncle Tyrion had his arms around Art and Gally.  Gally had a cut above his eye and Art’s lip was bloody.  (My brothers. I love them so.) </p><p>“Always an uneventful time on Tarth”, Uncle Tyrion said sarcastically as he grinned.  Then he looked at me.  “Come here my beautiful bruiser.”  I ran into my Uncle’s arms.  I had to kneel like Mumma and Papa.</p><p>Papa shouted again.  “Let’s get back to the Keep, clean up and head to Morne.  I have a shipment of Pentoshi geese coming in.”  Mumma sighed.  Papa turned to her.  “Wench, you haven’t lived until you’ve had Pentoshi geese.  It is the healthiest of poultry.  I’d not survived my war injuries if not for the restorative properties of Pentoshi geese.”</p><p>Mumma sighed again.  “Love, I don’t doubt.  But the pirates know we Westerosi travel a lot during this year.  So there’s a good chance your shipment will be stolen or plundered.”</p><p>********************</p><p>Later, on the Eastern shore of the island we are watched (sharing telescopes) as pirates stopped the ship that carried Papa’s Pentoshi geese.  Then we watched in disbelief as they set the ship ablaze.  It appeared it was only a cargo ship.  The crew rowed to shore with nothing but their lives.  Mumma set the crew up in an inn and promised to help them get back to Essos.</p><p>Papa cursed during the entire episode.  He screamed at the pirates (they were too far out to hear him) in both the Common Tongue and Valyrian (another result of Papa’s hiding out in Pentos for moons was he learned some Valyrian).  Mumma tried to comfort him.  Aunt Queen Sansa, being a mainlander, was shocked.  Uncle Tyrion was tipsy, but upset about the geese too (“It really is delicious fowl”).  Sandor scowled and muttered “cunts” over and over. Arya and Catelyn Clegane looked as if it was the most exciting thing they’d ever witnessed.  Me and my brothers just sat on the dock, bored.  Grandpa Selwyn and Uncle Ser Pod didn’t come because they knew what would happen.</p><p>On the way back, we stopped at a farm and bought chickens (Sandor smiled, showing his teeth.  His smile really was breathtaking) and boar and vegetables for our Sevenmas feast.  Papa was so upset until Mama whispered in his ear.  Papa bit his lip and waggled his eyebrows at Mama.  She grinned back at him.  </p><p>********************</p><p>When we got back to Evenfall, I saw Grandpa standing in the courtyard with two people.  </p><p>Proper and classy Aunt Queen Sansa took off running into the yard screaming, “Arya! Arya!”  She reached her sister and they clung to each other.  Sansa let out a joyous sob.</p><p>No fucking way, I thought.  Long Night Hero, explorer and all around badass Arya Stark was here, on Tarth.  The thought made me so giddy, I almost forgot about Brightroar.  Almost.</p><p>Sandor's eyes were wet with tears and he sat right down in the middle of the road.  He muttered, “Well, I’ll be godsdamned.”  The Clegane girls hugged their father’s neck in concern.  “Girls, that’s your Aunt Arya and your Uncle Gendry”, he told them.</p><p>Sansa and Arya and Gendry (arm in arm in arm) walked back to us.  We were still standing in the road, just outside the gate, dumbfounded.  Mumma openly wept.  Papa and Uncle Tyrion looked in happy disbelief.</p><p>Arya fell into Sandor’s lap and smiled at him.  “My sister’s made you soft, Sandor”, she teased.  Then she cried a little too.  Brienne leaned over Sandor and kissed Arya on the cheek.  Then Mumma wept some more.</p><p>“Oh, Brienne, stop it…” Arya stopped and looked at Papa.  She stood slowly, “Kingslayer? (I hadn’t heard that moniker spoken yet, but I knew of it). You’re alive?” </p><p>Papa smiled.  “In the flesh, Little Wolf, er um, Stag”, he said gesturing at still silent Gendry Baratheon.</p><p>Arya Stark; Long Night Hero, explorer and all around badass; hugged my Papa fiercely whispering thank you over and over again.   (The story behind that will bring a tear to your eye, but I digress).  Then she punched my Uncle playfully in the arm.   I noticed she wasn’t much taller than Uncle Tyrion.  </p><p>Suddenly a flash of black hurtled through the courtyard.  A beautiful little boy with a mop of black hair ran into the midst of the reunion looking at all of the new faces.</p><p>Gendry spoke up with a smile.  “Let me introduce our son, Jon.”  Aunt Queen Sansa immediately picked up the boy and started crying again.  Then she looked from Arya and then Gendry and then back at Arya all while embracing the life out of poor little Jon Baratheon.  “You have a child.  My baby sister has a child”, Aunt Queen Sansa cried.  </p><p>Arya removed herself from Papa’s embrace and announced, “Two children,” as she poked out her small belly.   Aunt Queen Sansa clutched little Jon tighter and exclaimed to the heavens, “I’m so fucking happy.”  </p><p>Introduction of us children was made.  Arya made to pick up each of her nieces, but the Clegane girls were big.   Arya gave them tight hugs instead.  But she stared at me.  Her smile was a little tight. (Fucking evil Queen Cersei and the face I got from her).</p><p>Mumma smiled widely as she put her hand on Arya’s small bump.  “Let’s go inside, eat and exchange ONE Sevenmas gift and…” she trailed off as she hugged Arya.  </p><p>My Mumma, Aunt Queen Sansa (who still hadn’t let little Jon go) and Arya fucking Stark walked into the Keep holding onto each other.  Sandor and Gendry walked in together.  Sandor kept looking at Arya then at Gendry as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.  The Clegane girls followed chatting excitedly about their returned family.  Finally, Grandpa, me, my brothers, Papa, Uncle Tyrion, Uncle Ser Pod and Ser Bronn (where’d the hell he’d been, who could say) headed in last.</p><p>********************</p><p>After all the food was eaten, the stories told, it was time to exchange one gift.  We’d exchange the remainder when the royal retinue arrived.  I can’t remember what I received.  It wasn’t Brightroar.</p><p>Arya Stark stared at me with her son on her lap and an arm around each niece. “It’s amazing, you look just like her.  Cersei.  I mean I do see Brienne in you, but...She was on my list.  Cersei.  But your Papa took care of it”, Arya said slowly.  I nodded, but I had no clue what she meant.  And honestly, I didn’t want to know. The mention of my dead aunt made Mumma and Papa act weird.  We kids didn’t talk about her.  And as I said, she was dead and everyone was glad.  So that was that.</p><p>Then there was a ruckus in the hall.</p><p>“Jaime, no!” Mumma shouted. Me, Arya and the little ones rushed over.  Daddy was proudly showing a portrait that I couldn’t understand what it was.  It looked like a poorly painted leg, but with splotches.  Then I realized it was a portrait of Mumma’s leg.  Oh, shit, I thought.</p><p>“Sweetling, it’s not exactly your leg.  It’s just a very shapely leg.  It made me think of you.  It’s called impressionism...I think that’s what the artist said.  There’s an artisan from Essos down in the village.  This is her painting style.  I wanted to get you something new for your solar...” Papa tried to explain.</p><p>“My solar, Jaime?” Mumma asked incredulously. </p><p> ...And I never know what to get you and you never tell me”, Papa finished. Then he bit his lip.  “Okay, so maybe it’s more for me... well, mostly me. But it will be of great value someday.”  </p><p>Ser Bronn looked at the painting and tilted his head back and forth.  Then he looked at Mumma and opened his mouth to speak.  Mumma cut him off, “if you value your manhood, you’ll stay quiet Bronn.”   Ser Bronn shut his mouth.  Uncle Ser Pod guffawed.   Mumma scowled at Uncle Ser Pod.  He shut up too.</p><p>Grandpa got up while biting back a laugh.  He clapped Papa on the shoulder, “It’s the thought that counts, Son.  I’m going to bed and so should you all.  The Queen and King will be here early tomorrow.”</p><p>Papa smirked smugly at Mumma.  “Thank you, Selwyn.  Wench, you have to admit, the painting is striking.”  Mumma shrugged uncomfortably.  He got up and hugged Mumma anyway and as he pulled back,  he put a lovely gold necklace over her head.  It had diamonds and sapphires on it.  “For my lovely wife”, Papa said.   Mumma smiled and kissed Papa.  She got Papa a lovely dagger inlaid with rubies on the hilt.   </p><p>Suddenly, Grandpa ran (yes, at 70 years old) back into the hall.  “By the Gods, the royal family is here NOW!”   </p><p>Shortly, thereafter I could hear King Jon’s voice booming down the corridors.   “Where is she?  Where’s my sister?”  He came into the hall and we all bowed, curtsied; but his eyes were on his little sister.  “Bran wrote us...I could scarcely believe…”, he trailed off and then he (the King of Westeros) ran to Arya and picked her up off the floor in a crushing hug.   They cried and cried.   Sansa ran to them and they hugged and cried some more.  King Jon waved Gendry over and he joined the group hug.</p><p>Queen Daenerys rushed into the hall with the little princesses Rhaella and Lyanna.  She looked at Arya and Gendry with a gasp.  Then she (the Queen of Westeros) rushed in and joined the group hug.</p><p>Prince Eddard Stark Targaryen strolled into the hall with the Kingsguard in tow.  (Eddie refutes he strolled in.  He said he walked in normally.  But I think it happened in slow motion, when he entered the hall.  Eddie says time slowed for him when I said hello.   My Eddie is so romantic).  The fucking world stopped.  Eddie had grown up a bit. I heard he had squired up in the North. His shoulders were broader.  He’d gotten a bit taller (although I never cared about that.  My Mumma was taller than my Papa), his black curls were perfect and his violet colored eyes were breathtaking.  And on his hip was...Longclaw.  I was speechless, well I think I giggled nervously.  I think I even heard 9 year old Arya Clegane gasp, Eddie was that impressive. </p><p>I didn’t hear anything after that.   I didn’t hear the rest of the tearful reunion between the Starks.  I didn’t hear the reminiscing about the Long Night.  Sorry, but I didn’t even hear Arya and Gendry’s tales about what was west of Westeros (all of the Baratheon’s findings are in an interesting tome written by Grand Maester Tarly). All I saw was Eddie and Longclaw.  Eddie and I tried to talk to each other, but I am sure it was a garbled mess of nothing (as young people do when they take a liking to one another).</p><p>We all stayed up way too late.  The adults drank way too much (the Clegane’s had their only son 9 months later).  And I fell in love.  But I still wanted Brightroar. I hadn’t forgotten.</p><p>*******************</p><p>The next morning, we all gathered at the hall and had a grand breakfast.  There were fresh eggs, fried potatoes, cured boar, sweet breads and Eddie sitting next to me.  The King and Queen and my Mumma and Papa sat across from us giving each other knowing looks.  Well, Papa looked a bit stressed in retrospect.  </p><p>Then the second round of gift giving began.  Art got his book.  Gally got his morningstar.  And I got Brightroar (Gods be good).  I was so excited.  Mumma eyebrows were furrowed, but Papa said quietly to her and me, “Eddard has his father’s sword and Jo is much better with a sword than him.  (So Papa was right, I was better at that time but Papa had no way of knowing that.  Papa really was feeling some kind of way about me and Eddie).</p><p>I grabbed Eddie’s hand and we headed out to the yards.  First bout, I lifted Brightroar and felt hundreds of years of history coursing through my fingers.  The sword was light.  Lighter than I expected.  And what did I do on our first spar?  Well, I didn’t cut my arm off, but I over-calculated the strength needed to get into my stance and cut my face right along my jaw near my neck.  I literally could have slit my own throat.   I didn’t feel it at first, but then I felt the warm blood dripping down my neck. Eddie picked me up and started screaming.  He carried me back into the hall.  I was in shock until Mumma screamed and then Papa shouted.  Then it was chaos.  Then I felt the pain.  Gods, that shit hurt.   It hurt more when the Maester stitched it up, but Eddie held my hand the whole time.  And I didn’t look so much like evil Queen Cersei anymore.  It was a great Sevenmas.</p><p>Papa made sure he trained with me to wield Brightroar correctly as Mumma watched nervously from the edge of the yard.  Eddie and I became betrothed before he and his family returned to King’s Landing.  We married five years later.  </p><p>And here we are.  I caress the hilt of my family’s sword as the last petitioner leaves the hall. Eddie leans over and rubs my huge belly.  “Are you ready to head to your island, my beauty?”  I am nervous about the birth, but I’m ready.  </p><p>I reply, “Yes, my love”.</p>
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